Posted on 02/10/2012 2:56:54 PM PST by Ellendra
Good morning Gardeners!!!!
I know I'm not part of your usual cast of gardening threadmasters, but it's afternoon here and the thread hasn't arrived yet! So I'm going to start one, and if it turns out later that I shouldn't have, then I'll appologize really nicely.
*Ahem*:
The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you.
This thread is non-political, although you will find that most here are conservative folks. No matter what, you won’t be flamed and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked.
It is impossible to hijack the Weekly Gardening Thread ... there is no telling where it will go and that is part of the fun and interest. Jump in and join us!
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That’s way too cold for weed. Better cover ‘em.
I finally did it. I harvested my lemon.
I have a lemon tree in a very large pot that I bring into the south porch in the winter. It gets cold, but doesn’t freeze in there. It had about 8 or 9 blooms on it, but only one set a lemon. I just left it on the tree hoping that it would not be blemished, but rather ripe when I needed it. It was very yellow and perfect.
I made Greek lemon rice soup for my new friend. The lemon tasted a bit like an orange. The lime tree did not bloom.
BA
I ordered a Sears Garden Tractor suitable for attaching a Johnny Bucket/Plow and eventually, a tiller and snow blower. I also ordered the Johnny Bucket and Plow and the joystick controller. We are really going to make good use of it!
Our replacement Indian Runner ducklings (one drake and five hens) arrived on Wednesday morning. They are living, curious and eating us out of house and home. They have more than doubled in the past two and a half days and our cats are fascinated.
Expecting a little snow tomorrow, but it is time to get seeds in trays.
Thanks, Ellendra!
1/4-1/2” of extra-dry (brut?) snow last night & today; down to -5 by Saturday morning...it’s starting to feel like winter.
The warm weather, with intermittent severely cold nights & no snow cover has been brutalizing the winter wheat we planted last fall: doesn’t know whether to stay dormant, or try to grow.
This is mostly JADB’s fault for going to Montana, and complaining about not having to drive through any blizzards to get there.
Still getting 1/2-3/4 egg/day/hen.
Woo Hoo. It is 17F and man feet of snow outside. Got to get earrly starts going inside!
Are your tomatoes in a greenhouse txhurl?
Thank you Ellendra for getting us together today. You are a gen. Back tomorrow, having a fund raiser here, today, for a friend. Gotta get things ready. Oh, I have one raised garden cleared of weeds and ready for a bit of compost. I’ve begun my “worm garden”. I’m thinking of getting some red wigglers and setting up spot for them.
Thank you for picking up the torch!
I’m in the Philadelphia area. Is it too late to start germinating seeds indoors in preparation for planting them when the weather warms up?
You need to know your last frost date.
Most seed packets will tell you when to start seeds.. Usually 4-6 weeks prior to setting out.
Count back from your last frost date.
Cold hardy plants can usually go out about a month before last frost date.
How do you find out what the average last frost date is?
We’re still getting frost. Heck, it’s snowing right now, even though the robins have returned and the bulbs are coming up.
I did a search and it appears April 15th is the average last frost date in Philadelphia area.
You might Google your city/county for “average last frost date,” or contact your nearest agricultural extension office. Here we have quite a few Master Gardner volunteers who can offer good advice.
San Antonio has an average last frost date of 15 March. But Googling before posting this reply I noticed a few sites list our average last frost date as falling on 23 or 24 March. We had a few late freezes last year, so averages being averages, they can change.
Some good advice I’ve never strictly followed is to wait two weeks after the average last frost date before transplanting. Usually by the time I transplant everything I’ve hit that two week waiting period. And, I compulsively seed far more plants than I possibly could ever fit into my little backyard garden. Can’t seem to help myself. If I get surprised by a cold snap, I’ve got plenty of reserves to take their place.
Otherwise, I am just hibernating from the cold and planning next spring’s garden. Have a good weekend. God Bless.
What was your search string to come up with that info?
Good advice.
And I suppose if you plant late, even four weeks after the actual last-frost date, you’ll still get a crop, right? It just may not reach the fullest potential because it will be growing later into the season (that is, when the cold weather returns)? Would this be correct, or do crops have a peak and if you plant too late, you simply miss it and will not have a crop?
Just wanted to remind everyone that the Indian line of peppers: Mohawk, Apache, and the ancho are freeze-hardy.
The ones I grew last year not only survived the drought, but then freezes and a 25o freeze last night. The new green shoots coming off the sides of the trunks did not freeze.
And these aren’t even in the ground, they’re in containers sitting on the deck with the lake whipping cold wind at them.
Around these parts - East Central Mississippi - the lore is to wait 4 weeks after the last T-Storm in February! Heard it from an elderly Black Woman at the county co-op. I wonder if the same Voodoo will work in North East Tx?
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